This one comes from http://www.fastestwaytoloseweightfat.com/.

Start drink the smoothies 2-3 times a day, and you will experience so much more energy and wellbeing that it will soon become your second nature. And you will start losing weight really quickly too, because you will be eating less of the fattening foods that you normally crave.

• Green smoothies are easy to digest. When blended well, all the valuable nutrients in these fruits and veggies become homogenized, or divided into such small particles that it becomes easy for the body to assimilate these nutrients, the green smoothies literally start to get absorbed in your mouth.
• Green smoothies, as opposed to juices, are a complete food because they still have fiber.
• Green smoothies belong to the most palatable dishes for people of all ages. With a ratio of fruits to veggies as 60:40 the fruit taste dominates the flavor, yet at the same time the green vegetables balance out the sweetness of the fruit, adding nice zest to it. Green smoothies are simply the best tasting dishes for the majority of adults and children.
• By consuming two or three cups of green smoothies daily you will consume enough of greens for the day to nourish your body, and they will be well assimilated. Many people do not consume enough of greens, even those who stay on a raw food diet.
• Green smoothies are easy to make, and quick to clean up after. Many people told me that they do not consume green juices on a regular basis because it is time consuming to prepare green juices and clean the equipment after juicing, or to drive to the juice bar.
• Green smoothies are perfect food for children of all ages, including babies of six or more months old when introducing new food to them after mother´s milk. Of course you have to be careful and slowly increase the amount of smoothies to avoid food allergies.
• When you consume your greens in the form of green smoothies, you can greatly reduce the consumption of oils and salt in your diet.
• Regular consumption of green smoothies forms a good habit of eating greens. After a few of weeks of drinking green smoothies, you may find yourself craving and enjoying greens. Eating enough of green leafy vegetables is often a problem with many people, especially children.

More Benefits of Drinking Green Smoothies

• Increased energy and clear thinking.
• Beautiful skin, bright eyes, and shiny hair.
• No cooking or washing pots and pans required!
• In one drink you will be consuming more nutrients than you have in a week if you live on cooked foods!
• You will be supplying your body with amazing nutrition: amino acids needed for protein, omega-3 fats, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron and countless other ingredients, including those with cancer and disease fighting properties.
• Plenty of FIBER for much better digestion – so forget about those colon cleansing supplements!
• Experience overall improved health.
• Weight loss.

Great Ingredients For Your Green Smoothies

• Greens: kale, bok choy, chard, spinach, parsley, romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, mint, basil, cilantro, beet tops, carrot tops, and anything else you can find in your local farmer’s market or garden!
• Veggies: cucumber (with the skin on) – amazing for your skin!, celery, tomato, avocado (small amount only)
• Fruits: bananas, pears, apples, mango, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, kiwi, pineapple, melon, papaya, watermelon, grapes, cranberries, lemon, orange.

I’m reading the January/February 2011 issue of Men’s Health Magazine. Here’s an interesting tidbit I just came across.

Women prefer calm men, and can sense a man’s calm just by looking at his face, a study from Scotland found. Researchers measured levels of testosterone and cortisol, a stress hormone, in college-age men ad took their pictures. They then had women rate the photos for attractiveness, masculinity, and health. The women favored the men with low cortisol levels. Study author Fhiona Moore, Phd, says testosterone levels didn’t affect the women’s assessments.

This information is from the February 2011 edition of Men’s Health magazine.

According to the article, there’s no better “boner builder” than meds such as Viagra or Cialis. But what if your erections are hard and you just want them to be harder? Korean Red Ginseng is the natural supplement that will work according to Dr. Lipschultz. Most men respond to it well with few side effects. In one Brazilian study, two-thirds of men who popped 1,000 milligrams of Korean red ginseng three times a day for 12 weeks reported harder, longer-lasting erections than before the study. The downside: You’ll have to take the stuff every day. The supplement they recommend is Vitamin World Korean Ginseng.

What’s a Green Smoothie?

Classic Green Smoothie

A Green Smoothie is simply a blended shake  made of whole fruits and leafy greens. It’s a quick and delicious way to get all of your daily required fruits veggies down the hatch in sixty seconds. Many people drink them as a breakfast replacement because they’re packed full of vitamins and easy to pack.

The benefits of Green Smoothies include:

• increased energy and vitality
• improved concentration
• weight loss
• clearer skin
• improved digestion
• fewer cravings and mood swings

Within weeks, you’ll drop weight and your cravings for caffeine and sugar will disappear!

What You’ll Need

• A high powered blender or Vitamix
• Lots of leafy greens (kale, spinach, lettuce, or watercress)
• One to two pieces of fruit each day (bananas, apples, mangoes, papayas, melon)
• Filtered water

How To Make a Green Smoothie

You can make a smoothie in sixty seconds or less. Prep your greens and fruits the night before and pop them in the blender in the morning. Just be sure to blend thoroughly so that there are no chunks…it’s a smoothie!

I thought that this simple explanation for what a green smoothie is and how to make one was great. This comes straight off of the Viva Institute web site. The Viva Institute is an incredible place in Brazil for retreats, classes, raw food, etc. run by my friend Helena. For more information about the institute, go to www.vivainstitute.com.

Health & Nutrition Benefits of Eating Almonds

• Almonds help in the prevention of cancer, as they are low in saturated fat.
• They contain protective nutrients like calcium and magnesium, which assist strengthening of bones.
• Almond contains phyotchemicals, which protect against cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
• It considerably reduces the risk of heart attack.
• Almonds also help in checking blood cholesterol levels.
• They also contain lots of fiber, which is good for the system.
• Almonds contain folic acid, which is believed to reduce levels of homocystein, the amino acid thought to contribute to the buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries.
• Almonds assist in controlling diabetes, by lowering blood sugar after meals.
• Almonds provide essential anti-oxidants and help in the clean up of the free-radicals in the body.

This bit of information is from US News and World Report. It’s a special issue called 50 Ways to Improve Your Life in 2011. The first improvement that they list is to try a new twist on the Atkins Diet. The reason I find this interesting is because it’s pretty close to the diet I was reading about in The 4 Hour Body (see yesterday’s post).

According to this article by Angela Haupt, former President Bill Clinton recently shed more than 20 pounds after adopting a plant-based diet emphasizing legumes, fruits, vegetables, and even almond milk. She goes on to say that a study published in September in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests he has the right idea. The new research indicates a low-carb diet, heavy on proteins and fats from plants, may reduce the risk of death from all medical causes.

Here are the basic rules.

1. Get acquainted with beans. Beans are a fantastic way of getting protein into your diet. A quarter cup of beans of any kind has the same amount of protein as one ounce of meat. In the 4 Hour Body, Timothy Ferriss is also big on the beans, especially black beans.

2. Try other sources of plant based protein. Nuts, high-protein veggies like brussels sprouts, grains like couscous, and lentils are all good sources (Tim Ferriss is also big on the lentils.) One ounce of almonds provides 6 grams of protein-more than 10 percent of a 150-pound person’s daily protein needs.

3. Ditch Dairy drinks.  Try unsweetened almond milk. (If you’re not going to make your own, check labels. Many brands are loaded with sugar.)

4. Substitute healthy fats for unhealthy ones. Get rid of the butter, whole milk, fatty cuts of beef, etc. and try omega-3 fatty accids, nut butters, seeds, and avocados.

5. Choose Carbs Wisely. No white carbs (bread, rice, etc.). Go for fruits, vegetables, whoats. Best for carbs are veggies such as okra and eggplant which are low in starch.

6. Reinvent You Favorites. The example they give in to substitute black beans for beef (try it in a burrito).

Read the magazine for the full article but you get the gist.

Happy New Year, everyone! Now that it’s the beginning of the year, it’s time to get back down to business. I’m reading a new, amazing book called The 4 Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss. I’ve only read the first hundred pages but I can’t wait to tell you about it. This book is from the guy who wrote The 4 Hour Work Week. On the cover, Tim describes his book at “an uncommon guide to rapid fat-loss, incredible sex, and becoming superhuman.” I think that says it all. Check it out. I’m planning on giving you interesting tidbits from his book over the next few days

Today’s tip is to try Macadamia Oil. Tim says that several high-level body building coaches introduced him to this oil. I just ordered a bottle. According to Tim, it tastes almost like butter which makes it great for cooking things like eggs. It has a high smoking point which makes it ideal for sauteeing and all types of cooking. It has a long shelf life. The fat is 80% monounsaturated. The most interesting fact is that it’s the lowest of all cooking oils in omega-6 fatty acids but high in palmitoleic acid which isn’t found in any other plant oil. Because palmitoleic acid is found in the sebum of human skin, macadamia oil can also double as a potent skin moisturizer!

I can’t wait to try it. Give it a shot and let me know your thoughts.

This information is from an eharmony article. (I’m going to paraphrase in order to shorten this up a bit.)

1) You’re Not Chasing the Relationship’s Potential. The basic idea is that you’re not waiting for something to happen in order for you to be happy in the relationship. For example, hoping the person will get over some habit. Feeling that the person would be nicer if he/she could just get through a bad phase at work.

2) Who You Are Is Good Enough. You’re perfect just the way you are. You’re not trying to change the way you are or what you look like in order to please the other person. You know the person is happy with you and that changes aren’t necessary. (Personal development is different. If you want to make changes and improvements for yourself, that’s a different story.)

3) You Manage Conflict Well. The example they give in the article is about couple A who fights and couple B who never fight. They say that couple A is more likely to go the distance because they’re able to get their needs met. Couple B isn’t being forthcoming with their feelings and emotions. The important thing to remember is that fighting isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Fighting isn’t fun or pleasant but it shouldn’t be hurtful or verbally abusive. There are two people in a relationship. They’re not going to agree on everything. Make sure that when they’re is conflict that you are respectful towards each other and that it’s healthy. How you fight in a relationship is very important. If your partner always goes for the jugular (so to speak), cut your losses now.

4) The Mundane Is Suddenly Interesting. The mundane is suddenly interesting. You want to know all sorts of details about the person your with such as things about his/her childhood. You want to see childhood pictures, etc. If you’re genuinely interested in the person’s life, that’s a very good sign.

5) There’s Minimal Drama—or None at All. When you do fight, you do your best to fight fair. You admit when you’re wrong, you listen to each other, you acknowledge one another’s good points, and you apologize when you cross lines. If you two are dealing with constant drama, where one of you is trying to create high emotions to manipulate the other or there’s constant turbulence without some sort of resolution, then be careful about fully committing to the relationship at this point. High drama is a definite red flag when it comes to long-term relationship success.

6) Your Friends and Family See What You See. They like the person you’re with. They encourage the relationship. If the people you’re close with don’t like the person or they think the person is wrong for you, you should listen.

7) You Know How to Make Them Happy Do you know what it takes to makes your significant other happy? Think about minor, moment-by-moment issues, like where that person likes to eat and what kind of back rub he or she enjoys. Do you know how to help her relieve stress? Can you get her to talk about her dreams and visions for the future? When she’s struggling at work or with a family issue, can you help her come through the storm and find the sun again? And, just as important, does your partner know how to do this for you as well? If so, that’s another reason to believe that you’ve found “The One.”

You Have the Same Life Priorities. Opposites may attract, but they rarely make for a good long-term relationship. Compatibility really is key when it comes to creating a deep and lasting connection between two people.

For example, if you want to begin preparing for the future and building toward certain life and career goals, but your partner mainly wants to make enough money so that he or she can party this weekend, then you two are probably working with fairly different priorities. I also want to include with this one the idea of doing things at the same pace as your partner. If you like to stay in, curl up on the couch, and have calm evenings in and your partner likes to go out drinking and going to bars, then you’re very different types of people and the relationship will never work long-term.

And the opposite it is true, too: If your priorities match up well, then you two have a much better chance of long-term happiness and fulfillment together.

9) You Respect the Person Deeply. Mutual respect has to be there. You must honor each other’s feelings, emotions, and needs. Respect is extremely important in order for any relationship to thrive.

Have you heard of a show on tv called “The Doctors”? Now these doctors have come out with a book called The Doctors. It’s loaded with all sorts of interesting information. Here’s a section from their 5 minute health fixes section.

Snack your way to good sex. It’s true! Certain foods can have actions in the body that either stimulate certain sex hormones or increase blood flow-both of which definitely add spice in the bedroom. Try a couple of these for better sex tonight.

Avocados: Contain folic acid and vitamin B6, both of which stimulate the thyroid and spur the creation of male and female hormones. (Avocado really is a superfood. Eat avocados for healthy fats. Your skin will look amazing.)

Capsaicin: Found in hot peppers, capsaicin stimulates your natural endorphins, and it can also help you burn fat while you get randy. Also found in some lubricants-can you say “hot”-it is effective for women, too.

Celery: Celery is chock-full of androsterone, a male pheromone that comes out in your sweat, and though it isn’t consciously smelled, it drives women crazy.

I’ve drastically reduced my carb intake in order to drop some weight. This is a very easy way to lose weight but there are things that you need know. First, reducing your carb intake significantly really weakens you. You will be tired. Don’t think for a second that you’ll be the one person who feels completely ok. You won’t. If you work out a lot (I do), you will not have the energy to do the workouts that you’ve been doing. I’m told that this gets better. We’ll see. Right now when I go to the gym, I just want to take a nap the moment I’m done. The second thing you need to know is that your breath will smell disgusting. There’s not much you can do about this one. The third thing is that you’ll be constipated. Adding fiber does help. The fourth is that you have to make sure you’re getting enough good fats in your diet. I was so drastic in terms of cutting out the carbs that I just didn’t think about this. My nails became brittle very quickly and my skin felt dry. My lips were cracking. Extra Virgin Olive Oil and raw, natural almond and cashew butter solved this problem. My skin improved immediately. The oil will also lubricate your joints which will help you out in the gym. If you take a teaspoon of olive oil a couple of times a day, it will help.

The diet is working. I’ve lost a few pounds. If you’re going to do this, make sure that you’re eating green vegetables and that you’re eating fruit but no more than a couple of servings day. The big challenge now is to figure out how to ration my calories so that I’m getting the most out of my food. This morning, for example, I ate twice as much as I’ve been eating for breakfast. As a result, i had the energy that I needed to get through my workout at the gym.

Let me know if you guys have any thoughts and ideas.